In the highest-profile case to come out of City Hall “pay-to-play” corruption investigations in the administration of former Mayor James Hahn, prosecutors Wednesday detailed their allegations that former commissioner Leland Wong exchanged his influence for a $100,000 bribe from a company doing business with the city.

But in opening statements, Wong’s lawyer said the former commissioner did nothing improper and was a committed civic servant who was singled out unfairly by the political system.

Wong, 51, of San Marino sat composed as Superior Court Judge Michael Johnson read for the jury the 21 felony counts, including bribery, conflict of interest, perjury and embezzlement charges against the former commissioner. He has pleaded not guilty.

But Jeffrey Rutherford, Wong’s attorney, said Wong was a “victim to people in power,” who Rutherford said changed the rules on what was allowable.

“Leland Wong played within the rules,” Rutherford said.

The case is expected to include testimony from top officials in the former administration, including Hahn.

The most significant allegation centers on Wong receiving $100,000 from Evergreen Group paid to his Hong Kong bank account while he was serving on the Airport Commission and voted on a contract for a subsidiary of the Taiwanese firm.

Prosecutors said the $5,000 monthly cash payments weren’t disclosed to city officials with whom the commissioner was working on deals to get subsidiary Evergreen Marine a better lease and additional space at the port – while also negotiating to move another subsidiary, EVA Airways, from LAX to Ontario Airport.

“The papers (documents and e-mails) suggest a link,” Huntsman.

But Rutherford said the Evergreen payments were legitimate consulting fees paid to Wong to help with the port deal and there was no link to his then activities as an airport commissioner.

Rutherford also said the fees were disclosed properly on a city ethics form and that Wong never made a secret of his activities to port officials.

The Evergreen deals, which were being handled at the top mayoral level, are expected to be at the center of witness testimony by former Deputy Mayor Troy Edwards and other key former city officials, Huntsman said.